A satisfactorily functioning foot mat has to satisfy inter alia the following requirements. In the first place it must be possible for the user to rapidly and particularly effectively clean his shoes in any position from all kinds of dirt and stones. The profile of the mat has to be such that one can walk and stand comfortably in a stable manner on the mat. Furthermore, that mat should have a great absorption capacity for dirt. A further requirement is that the mat should readily release the dirt, for example, when being shaken. Finally, particularly when the mat has to be used outdoor it is important to avoid mositure concentrations.